A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

Which concept was examined in the research by Godden and Badderly as mentioned in Grant et al's background?

1. Context-dependent memory

2. Long-term memory storage

3. Emotional recognition tasks

4. Influence of sleep on memory

The correct answer is: Context-dependent memory

The research conducted by Godden and Baddeley is pivotal in understanding context-dependent memory. Their studies illustrated how environmental cues can enhance memory retrieval. In their classic experiment, participants who learned words underwater were later better at recalling them in the same underwater context compared to those who learned the words on land. This strong connection between the learning environment and retrieval conditions supports the concept of context-dependent memory, emphasizing that the context in which information is encoded can significantly affect how well it can be recalled later. In contrast to this, long-term memory storage focuses on how information is maintained over time and the processes involved in storing memories rather than the environmental cues associated with retrieval. Emotional recognition tasks investigate how emotions affect the recognition of faces or scenarios but do not directly relate to the context of memory recall. Similarly, the influence of sleep on memory pertains to how sleep can enhance or inhibit memory consolidation, rather than the environmental context in which memories are formed and accessed. Thus, context-dependent memory is the most relevant concept from Godden and Baddeley's research as it directly illustrates the importance of context in memory retrieval processes.